


The Orkney Elopement

by RobberBaroness



Category: Arthurian Mythology
Genre: Alternate Universe - Regency, Bad Parenting, Epistolary, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2019-12-09
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:40:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21726145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobberBaroness/pseuds/RobberBaroness
Summary: Gawain and Ragnelle have run off, sending chaos throughout the family.
Relationships: Gawain/Dame Ragnelle
Comments: 7
Kudos: 43
Collections: Yuletide 2019





	The Orkney Elopement

**Author's Note:**

  * For [avani](https://archiveofourown.org/users/avani/gifts).



To Miss Ragnelle Somer-Jour,

I do not normally deign to address fortune hunters and adventuresses, so heed what I have to say now: you will leave my son Gawain alone, and you will do so immediately. I am negotiable as to your price, though I will warn you that I will not be trifled with or made a fool of in any business arrangement. Whatever it is you hope to gain by marrying into the family, I promise you will not receive it if you go through with this match.

If you wish to argue your case, spare me. I have seen and heard of you, and am firmly set in my opinions. You are a vulgar country girl with poor manners and worse pretensions. You have no respectable dowry, and if you thought that little charade with Gawain about exchanging riddles instead of presents was amusing, I assure you it was not. I could understand how my son might be ensnared by a cunning social-climber if she were beautiful, but you cannot even manage that. Gawain is a handsome man of good breeding, beloved by society and by the men under his command, and while I cannot imagine why he should claim to be in love with you, I assure you that you will be forgotten in time.

You should know that I am not a woman you would wish to have as an enemy. I have made you a very generous offer in this letter- do not force me to resort to threats instead.

Morgause Lothian, Lady Orkney

***

To Lady Orkney,

I am considering it a great kindness on my part that I will never show my husband the letter you sent me. Yes, my husband- it seemed almost quaint to travel from the Orcade Isles to Gretna Green, but the journey has been made and the damage is done. Nor will I save your cruel missive for some later date at which I wish to turn your son against you- after I had cried from your cruelty, I promptly burned the letter to ashes. You may do so as well with this letter- it is your prerogative.

It is true, I brought no dowry to speak of. It is true, I am not the most beautiful woman Gawain could have danced with at the midwinter ball. You are well within your rights to dislike me for these reasons. However, whether you believe me or not, I love your son. When I proposed to him, we found ourselves in an awkward situation as he had already bought a ring with which he intended to propose to me. Whatever my unsuitable background and odd features, he loves me, and his love is a treasure I would not exchange if you offered me control of the entire East India Tea Company, stocks and all. You may think me an adventuress if you wish, but Gawain is the only man in the world with whom I would wish to have said adventures.

And you may threaten me all you wish. I am not afraid of you.

I hope, some day, to be in your good graces, if only for the sake of your relationship with your eldest child. Gawain once asked me, during our courtship, what it was that women most wished for- a title, a favorable marriage, a beautiful home? I told him what we wished for most was autonomy over our own lives, and I have since exercised mine. I hope you will use your own autonomy to accept me as a daughter and embrace Gawain back into your arms despite the scandal, but only you have the power to make that choice.

Your daughter in law,  
Mrs. Ragnelle Lothian

***

To my dearest brother Gawain,

I must congratulate you on finally falling into Mother’s disfavor! It’s a glorious club that includes all our brothers save Agravain (too busy keeping everyone else from enjoying themselves to commit any misdeeds of his own), and I was beginning to think you would never join in. But do not worry too much- she isn’t really going to disinherit you. She wouldn’t dare. One whiff of a new scandal would bring back talk of all the others- my birth at a time when her husband had been suspiciously absent on military duty, and of course the persistent rumor that Gareth and Gaheris share their wives. (Is this true, do you know? I rather hope so. It would knock off that halo Gareth seems to wear wherever he goes.)

I know we have never been as close as brothers ought, which could be politely blamed upon the difference in our ages. Still, I hope you understand this is a letter of genuine friendship and congratulations on your wedding. I don’t know what mother is about, speaking of your wife as if she were a forest hag; when I saw her, albeit briefly, I found her to be quite lovely. A trifle rustic, perhaps, and with a sharp tongue which I am sure you will learn to battle with, but nothing to be ashamed of. Perhaps mother caught her on a day when she was feeling ill.

Speaking of Mother, by the time she finally comes to her senses I imagine there shall be some kind of party thrown for you and your bride as a welcome back into her good graces. You would be fully within your rights to scorn such an invitation, but I do hope you attend, and not only to give me the chance to see your fair bride once more. I know the evening shall proceed with you and I getting into our standard heated political debate, that Agravain and Laurel will show us all up with their perfectly in-season attire, that Gaheris will be boorish toward any gentlemen friend Mother has taken as her companion of the moment, that Gareth and Lynette shall exchange glances the way no man should look upon his brother’s wife; in short, all the usual disasters shall befall whichever unfortunates should accept invitations.

Even so, we are family, and you are the eldest. Ragnelle is family as well, now. I would miss you both if you were not there.

Your loving brother,  
Mordred Lothian

P.S. Mother has been in some kind of correspondence with your wife. It could be an innocent overture of friendship. I suspect not. Ask Ragnelle about it.

***

My darling Ragnelle,

I have just received word of your treatment by Mother, and rest assured that were she a man, I would have challenged her to a duel. (She should have known better than to entrust any secrets to Mordred- spreading them is his favorite hobby.) I confronted her and I am afraid some rather harsh words were exchanged (Mordred was delighted). I will not trouble you with a complete recital of all that was said- simply put, I informed her that if she were ever to take action against you, she would lose my love and I would no longer consider myself her son. For all her icy exterior, this is the one thing Mother truly fears.

You will not have to wait long for my return to you- I shall let the storm rage amid my family until it runs out of strength. No matter what happens, know that I am not sorry for my filial disobedience, and would do it again in a heartbeat. I love you. I have been madly in love with you since that night at the ball when you proved yourself the cleverest woman in the room (the cleverest man, as well) with your conversation. Arthur may have thought nothing of introducing us, but he placed me forever in his debt by doing so. I would trade the regard of my entire family and the rest of society in the bargain if only I might be with you.

You are a brave woman, and I am sure you were not cowed by mother’s venom (she would not be so angry if you had been.) But you do not always need to be the bravest and the strongest of women. If your courage ever fails you, I will stand up and be brave in your stead. We are one now, and let the world do its best against us.

(You will surely interject here that if my courage fails me, you will likewise be brave in my stead. I know.)

Your devoted husband,

Gawain Lothian

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to my beta Assimbya! (And my apologies to Morgause, but someone had to be Lady Catherine de Bourgh...)


End file.
